Neighbors at Lake Waukomis said Sundays can be a relaxing time to spend watching slow-moving boats and mostly tranquil wildlife.

"I have my granddaughter over the weekends, usually. We were out and she was on a swing, and I was sitting up with her and we were just watching the people on the boats," said Tammy Judds.

She said two weeks ago, she saw her neighbor walk to a nearby dock, carrying something.

"As he was walking, I asked him, 'What's in the kennel?' and he just waved me off like, 'It's none of your business,'" Judds said. "The next thing I know, he was holding the cat kennel under the water."

The Shawnee, Kan., resident later told police that he drowned his cat because it had scratched and bit a family member.

Platte County prosecutors Eric Zahnd said Missouri law states an animal's owner may kill it as long as the intent isn't to torture it.

"The only evidence was that this man wanted to get rid of a problem pet," said Zahnd. "Now, we all wish, I believe, that he would've done it in a better way."

More than 1,200 people signed an online petition in support of charging the man with animal cruelty. Some neighbors held a vigil at Parkville's English Landing Park.

Zahnd said he understood the recent public outcry about the cat's death.

"It would say something even better about our society if my office received the same sort of outcry on behalf of child victims, on behalf of victims of rape and murder and other crimes," Zahnd said.

KMBC 9's Cliff Judy stopped by the man's home to see if he wanted to comment on the decision, but no one came to the door.